Falling for Mr. Thornton is the best Christmas present you can give to any North & South aficionado. Why? Because in it you will find twelve different Mr. Thornton’s with whom to fall in love all over again.

I had high expectations for this anthology because not only it was the first one ever published, but also because it has several authors whose writing skills I respect. After reading it, I am glad to say that it surpassed my expectations and that I was pleasantly surprised with its quality and ability to engage the reader.

Falling for Mr. Thornton is very diverse and balanced. In it, you will find twelve different stories with different plots, subgenres and writing styles. It starts with Melanie Stanford’s enthralling story, which is a modern take with characters I loved and could easily relate to, and it continues with Kate Forrester’s time slip story that I could not stop reading. It is very different from any time travel story I had ever read and I’m a huge fan of the genre, so I was happy to see it was included in the book. If these genres are not your cup of tea, fear not, the anthology progresses with humorous stories, romantic variations and different endings. Each author will have a different style and a different approach to North and South and I found that fascinating. This is more than a romance book; it is a true homage to Elizabeth Gaskell.

One of the highlights for me was to see Bessy Higgins having a happy ending in more than one story! I have always been partial to her character and I’ve often wondered why authors would not change her fate, in this anthology they did, and that made my day. Another detail I absolutely loved was the relevance Nicholas Higgins had in Cinders and Smoke by Don Jacobson. The author did an incredible job in developing both Higgins and Thornton’s characters and their dialogues were priceless. And of course, the depth of feeling you’ll find in some stories like Mischances from Nicole Clarkston or Her Father’s Last Wish from Rose Fairbanks is everything you could hope for in a North and South variation. The book closes with yet another wonderful and powerful story penned by Trudy Brasure and by this time, the reader will definitely want to go back and re-read some of the stories.

As you can see, this anthology really captured the essence of North and South and brought to readers a little bit of everything they love in Elizabeth Gaskell’s story. It has plenty of romance, the clash of classes and costumes and absorbing characters. The length of each story is perfect in the sense that it captures exactly what each author wanted to focus on, without extending it to a level that disengages the reader. This was definitely a plus in this anthology that can be read in one single occasion, or savoured one story at a time.

Falling for Mr. Thornton is perfect for those who have read every single North & South variation out there and who are craving for more, and perfect for those who are still reluctant to try this genre. Those who love either the book or the BBC series but were never convinced to try fan fiction, have in this anthology the perfect opportunity to try several subgenres and finally have an idea of what may suit them better. It has the advantage of having something for every taste and not occupying too much of the readers time.

Summing up, Falling for Mr. Thornton is definitely a well-balanced anthology with strong stories that will appeal to many different readers. The diverse plots and writing styles make it an interesting addition to any library, and I highly recommend this book to all my fellow readers.

My review was part of the blog tour for Falling for Mr. Thornton, if you liked my comments, please do check out the other blog tour stops where you’ll be able to get to know writers that are unfamiliar to you, and re-connect with the ones you already know. You’ll have interviews, guest post, reviews and a wonderful giveaway attached to each stop 🙂

The twelve authors are offering one big prize to one reader following the entire blog tour. This prize will contain 13 different ebooks: one copy of Falling For Mr. Thornton and one other ebook from each author.

Additionally the authors would also like to offer two bookmarks of Falling For Mr. Thornton at each blog. To enter the giveaway at From Pemberley to Milton, please comment on this post until the 1st of December. The winners will be announced shortly after.

Oh, how delightful!
North and South is such a beautiful book and I find myself imagining being in those times and circumstances.
Such a great opportunity here to have a whole range of experiences inside Gaskel’s world – and by soany talented people!
Cannot wait to grab my copy!

I really loved your story Don 🙂
In fact, I loved them all, but the best thing was seeing different approaches to N&S. Every author contributed with a necessary piece to make this book perfect 🙂 It would be the same without your perspective 🙂

Not only are there stories by my favourite JAFF authors but what a great price – less than a penny a page! I’m not a North South person, but who can resist the dual lure of beloved writers AND an incredible price! Not me. Is this a special introductory price or can I wait til Christmas to get it?

This is really a good introduction to those who are not usually used to North and South because all the stories are short, so you’ll never get bored. And if you don’t like one of them, you can just skip to the next one. I believe the book is currently at 4,99 which is the final price 🙂

Excellent review, Rita! I have you to thank for getting me back to Elizabeth Gaskell and reading North and South and reading Nicole’s N&S variations! I fell in love with Mr. Thornton all over again after reading it. And that story with Bessy…yes it was wonderful seeing her get a happy ending. Thank you!

It makes me really happy to know that I was the one introducing you to North&South fan fic Carole 🙂 And I’m also happy you liked this anthology. The two stories with Bessy really made a difference, and Don’s too, don’t you think? I ahve a thing for the Higgins family 🙂

What a great review Rita, thank you. I love John Thornton so this is definitely on my ‘to buy’ list. The range of storms sounds brilliant. I have read a few N&S variations including the 3 by Nicole and loved them.
What a great giveaway as well! (I won’t enter though as I really don’t like Rafflecopter!)
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts 😀

Rita,
What a wonderful review !
Your enthusiasm for N&S shone through
enticing many to read this book.
I loved reading about John and Margaret again,it was like revisiting old friends.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.
Happy reading!!

Thanks for a fantastic review, Rita. It makes me want to read this amazing sounding anthology even more. I’m intrigued as to how a modern setting works out and the time travel story ticks all sorts of boxes for me! Having read all of Nicole’s (P&P and N&S) and Trudy’s published works, plus a good proportion of Rose’s, Don’s and Melanie’s, I can only assume that we’re in for a real treat from everyone.

It is a very solid and balanced anthology Anji, and I believe you will enjoy it. I was already expecting to love the stories from Nicole, Trudy, Rose, Don and Melanie, but some new to me authors like Kate Forrester were a very positive surprise. Plus the book as a whole is very good with a good structure and diversity 🙂 Needless to say, I do recommend it.

Thank you, Rita, for your wonderful review! I’m so glad you enjoyed this anthology, and that you liked seeing a happy ending for Bessy. I should give a shout out here to Regina Jeffers, who inspired me in that direction. 🙂 What an amazing group of authors, and what an honor to contribute to this collection!

Wowww really Falling for Mr Thornton. Just by looking at the names of the authors. looking forward to reading and knowing more .Thank you for the chance to win a copy and another one of their book. Such a generous and very appealing prize